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match play

American

noun

Golf.

play in which the score is reckoned by counting the holes won by each side.

match play British

noun

golf Compare Stableford stroke play
1. scoring according to the number of holes won and lost
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a matchplay tournament

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

match player noun

Etymology

Origin of match play

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Rolapp said that the points system would be simplified and that match play could be introduced at either the Tour Championship or for the entire postseason.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

If this were 1974, TV fans could have seen this knock-down, grudge match play out in real time.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024

"I've played in a few. I love playing match play."

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2024

The first three rounds are stroke play to determine the seedings for match play, which is played over the weekend.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 5, 2024

Abnormal conditions for match play always tend to affect the better player more than the poorer, and bring play to a level.

From The Art of Lawn Tennis by Tilden, William (Bill) Tatem

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023